New York's newly inaugurated mayor, Zohran Mamdani, took the extraordinary step of personally telephoning President Donald Trump to register his strong opposition to the recent US military action in Venezuela and the capture of its president, Nicolás Maduro.
A Direct Call to the Oval Office
The mayor, who officially assumed office on Thursday, 1 January 2026, revealed the brief but direct call during a press conference on Saturday, 3 January. Mamdani stated he initiated the contact to make his position unequivocally clear to the president.
"I called the president and spoke with him directly to register my opposition to this act," Mamdani told reporters. He said he expressed opposition to both the pursuit of regime change and to operations he views as a violation of federal and international law. The mayor summarised the conversation by saying, "I registered my opposition, I made it clear and we left it at that."
Concerns for New York's Safety and Community
Mamdani's primary concern, articulated both in the call and in a subsequent post on social media platform X, is the direct impact on New York City. He emphasised that the unilateral attack on a sovereign nation and the planned imprisonment of Maduro and his wife at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn have serious local ramifications.
"This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn't just affect those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home," Mamdani wrote. He stressed that his administration's focus is now on the safety of every New Yorker and that they will monitor the situation closely, issuing relevant guidance.
First Clash in a Likely Contentious Relationship
This public disagreement marks the first major clash between the mayor and the president since Mamdani's inauguration, and it is unlikely to be the last. The mayor, who has previously labelled Trump a "fascist," acknowledged their history of direct disagreement while reaffirming his duty to his constituents.
"The president and I have always been honest and direct with each other about places of disagreement," Mamdani said. "New Yorkers have elected me to be honest and direct and always to do so with the understanding that my job is to deliver for the people who call this city home."
While acknowledging his limited influence over federal actions, the mayor stated his responsibility is to minimise the impact of those actions on the day-to-day lives of city residents. Nicolás Maduro is expected to face federal drug and weapons charges in a Manhattan court, with a potential initial appearance as early as Monday, 5 January.
The White House has not yet publicly commented on Mayor Mamdani's call. This early confrontation sets the stage for a potentially turbulent relationship between New York City Hall and the White House, centred on profound differences over foreign policy and its domestic consequences.
